Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 00:15:53 +0100
Subject: Bank of Scotland / OutRage! / Scottish Churches
From: OW-jgh
Following the threat by the Bank of Scotland's Legal Department
on Thursday, 15th April, to sue OutRage! for allegedly overstating
the degree of opposition by the Scottish churches to the BoS
proposed joint venture with the American arch-homophobe and
extreme right-wing evangelist Pat Robertson, I attach the full text
of a Press Release issued on 17th April by ACTS,
"Action for Churches Together in Scotland".
It appears that, for the time being, ACTS are trying to
be firm but diplomatic, distancing themselves from the statement,
previously reported in various places, that they had advised member churches
to withdraw accounts from the BoS. However, this course of action
at a later date is explicitly NOT ruled out in the ACTS press release.
A copy of this has been added to
http://www.OutRage.cygnet.co.uk/BScot99.htm
which also documents the OutRage! protest at London's "Daily Mail
Ideal Home Exhibition" on 10th April, and includes links to the new
Bank of Scotland Pressure Group site, and to a number of other
anti-BoS / Pat Robertson / "Christian Coalition" sites.
=====================================
The following statement is issued today, April 17th, by the General Secretary,
Dr. Kevin Franz, on behalf of Central Council.
The Central Council of ACTS views with deep concern the proposed link
between the Bank of Scotland and Robertson Financial Services. That concern
is rooted in the Scottish churches' understanding of their vocation to bring the
good news of God's love to the people of our nation, and to promote the
building of a society of love and justice with all people of good will. As the
ecumenical body representing some 1.5 million Scottish Christians we view
with abhorrence the reported views of Dr. Pat Robertson on the role of women,
on homosexuals, on people of other faiths, and what it means to be a
Christian. We express our great surprise and regret that the Bank of Scotland
should have failed to take Dr. Robertson's very public views into account when
planning its project, and instead to subordinate moral questions to purely
commercial considerations. The business community understands the integral
Iink between the practice of business and ethics.
The Central Council recognises the particular vocation it has as the agent
of the Scottish churches and as a customer of the Bank. At this stage our
desire is to allow time to the Bank to reconsider, although we do not rule out
the withdrawal of ACTS' accounts.
Central Council today calls upon the Bank as a matter of urgency to
pursue its dialogue with the churches, and to enter into dialogue with the other
faith communities in Scotland. We call upon the Bank to Iisten to the deep
concern of people of faith.
Central Council invites its member churches to address themselves to this
whole matter and to take all appropriate action.
ACTS: acts.ecum@dial.pipex.com
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